Hump Day Happiness

This is the second of the 2 imperial stouts that are new to the area from VooDoo Brewing. If you ever get the chance to try Matt’s line of beers I highly suggest it.

Big Black VooDoo Daddy
brewery: VooDoo Brewing – voodoobrewery.com
style: Imperial Stout
abv: 12.5%
serving size: 22oz
glass used: pint
price: $9.00

Overview
This Is our Imperial Stout that we age in conditioning tanks with oak staves. This adds a classic character of old world aging with out the Bourbon tones. This black ale is about 12% alc. and very rich in roasted and chocolate malt tones. Velvety smooth and able to be aged for years.

What I think
After last week’s slight disappointment I was really looking for a saving grace and with the results in, I found it. The body was very similar to that of the Black Magick but instead of a nose full of alcohol there was slight chocolate and a medium amount of coffee and bourbon. With each drink take a deep breath and capture the goodness of the aroma. I’m finding a nice coffee taste lingering on my palate without the nasty film that comes with drinking coffee (I get my jabs in when I can). Each drink I’m getting a smooth up front flavor and a mild chocolate coffee finish. Oh yeah, redemption has been found. In fact it’s safe to say this is my new fav imperial stout. Matt, you nailed it on this one.

Spoon’s rating: A

This beer has had much hype coming into our area. VooDoo Brewing is 90 minutes up I-79 from Pittsburgh but I think we were the last market to get our hands on some.  I’ve met Matt Allyn many times and have the utmost respect for what he’s doing in Meadville and Titusville. He’s brewing what he likes and honestly I’ve never had so many unique beers from one brewery. Cheers to his creativity and hard work!

VooDoo Black Magick
brewery: VooDoo Brewing – voodoobrewery.com
style: Imperial Stout
abv: 15.5%
serving size: 12oz
glass used: pint
price: $11.00

Overview
This is an Imperial Stout that is of great strength and complexity. We then gently age that beer in Elaigh Craig 13 1/2 year old Bourbon Barrels for 6 months to 1 yr. and then primed and bottled to bottle condition for continued aging and cellar life. Black Magick should be able to be aged up to about 5 years, to heighten the complexity and smooth nature of this beer.

What I think
Right off the bat all I could smell was alcohol and not in a good way. It poured the blackest I’ve seen a beer in quite some time. This would be a rare case where my family is right saying a dark beer is strong. In fact I think this has more aroma kick than the Weyerbacher XIII. There was a thin cocoa colored head on the pour as I kept staring at it wondering if I’d be sucked into my beloved Foundry Ale Works pint glass.

The bourbon taste I expected was actually stronger than anticipated. Reminded me of the first time I had a Shipwreck Porter. It was a punch in the teeth of bourbon.  Once I got past the strong alcohol tones I my palate went into spaz mode of the delicious chocolate malt back end. Unfortunately the alcohol came back and I had a hard time getting this out of my mouth.

This would have been a B+ or A- easy if it wasn’t for strong alcohol taste I kept getting. Tone it down a bit and I think it would be one of the best imperial stouts ever made. At $11 a bottle I would only suggest it once though I may have to buy one to age for a year or 2.

Spoon’s rating: C+

I wasn’t sure which I would release for this week’s edition. I have some VERY special brews that I picked up yesterday at 3 Sons and right now we’re debating if it will make a future episode of SIDT. We’re recording this weekend so you’ll know next week if they make the cut.

This beer is going to confuse the hell out of people who think that all beers are yellow and fizzy because the word “Ale” is at the end. You know that Genny is what comes to mind.  Time for an education.

Stoudts Winter Ale
brewery: Stoudts – www.stoudtsbeer.com
beer website: Winter Ale
style: American Porter
abv: 5.5%
serving size: 12oz
glass used: plastic
price: $2.50

Overview
The website doesn’t have jack about this. Boo on brewery websites who have next to nothing about their beers. I threw out the bottle thinking I could get it off the website. After some digging around on the interwebz I found “ This medium to full bodied ale is a deep brown color with notes of chocolate and nut flavors. It has a subtle hop bitterness and chocolaty aroma. This is the perfect holiday beer for the season.”

What I think
The only thing that could have possibly saved this beer would be to have drank it from the Sam Adams ultimate beer glass which seems to save the soul of many beers. No need for how the head was or it’s body because come on, it was a plastic cup. I really need to get my own glass at 3 Sons for moments like this.

I had very little nose on this but did eventually get a slight aroma of coffee and sweetness of some malt. I’m not a coffee drinker so I can’t tell you any type of coffee besides black greasy spoon diner coffee. The initial taste was minimal on coffee and a bit chocolate but after that went downhill dull faster than an OJ trial. It felt flat on the palate and was making for a rough time to finish but alas I’m a trooper for you. I’ve had dry porters before and this wasn’t it. Overall a bad experience but not worthy of a “D”. I’ll need to revisit sometime soon because something just wasn’t right.

Spoon’s rating: C-

There was a special at Mad Mex tonight where if you buy a pint of Victory you received a free pint glass (pictured above). What better reason to review a beer than for a free glass!

Victory St. Victorious
brewery: Victory Brewing – www.victorybeer.com
beer website: St Victorious
style: Doppelbock
abv: 7.6%
serving size: 16oz
glass used: pint
price: $2.50

Overview
From the tradition started by the monks of St. Francis of Paula in 1634 comes this warming beer of rich heritage. A dark, rich lager of sublime complexity and character, St. Victorious is created from multiple German malts. Laborious decoction mashing yields the choicest elements of the malt. Long, cold aging mellows the strong temperament of this subtle beer. Celebrate the end of winter with a warming draft of St. Victorious Doppelbock!

What I think
I would go on record as saying that the best dopplebock/double bock I have ever had is the Troegenator from Troegs Brewing. That is until tonight. I didn’t pour this so I can’t fairly judge the head but coming from the tap in front of me it poured like heaven. Mad Mex is a dimly lit Mexican restaurant (with a kickass beer menu) so I can’t say how the body looked but I can tell you how it tasted. Sweet Jesus malt but not overly sweet. Sweetness did hang around slightly for an aftertaste but didn’t leave me smacking my lips and trying to get a film off my tongue. For the alcohol in this it’s balanced perfectly and in fact, after 3 I was feeling good and wanted more. I may have found a replacement for the Troegenator. Once again a beer from Pennsylvania that rocks my palate!

Spoon’s rating: A